LMS golfer Blake Lolato won his second consecutive tournament at the Copperas Cove Junior High Invitational by shooting a 38. PHOTO BY CLAY WHITTINGTON It started out as a joke, but nobody is laughing now except the Badgers.

Moments before Blake January inadvertently slammed the head of his club into the ground during a drive, teammate Blake Graham told him to “Go for the crush.”

Considering the outcome, the phrase immediately became an inside joke for the team.

“January hit his driver into the ground six inches in front of the ball,” LMS Badgers’ head coach Michael Molinar said. “His driver had a three-inch deep chunk of mud on it and he never even touched the ball that was still sitting quietly on the tee.

“We fell out laughing hysterically and then all took pictures of the hole left in the ground.”

The Badgers still grin every time they hear someone let out the new rally cry before a drive.

The Badgers show off their medals and first-place plaque after winning their second consecutive tournament. Pictured with head coach Michael Molinar, back, are, from left, Logan Irvin, Blake Graham, Blake Lolato, Blake January and Trent Holloman. Recently, the team has been smiling for a different reason though.

Led by Blake Lolato’s individualchampionship score of 38, Lampasas won its second consecutive tournament with a team score of 161 at the Copperas Cove Junior High Invitational.

“It feels good because I think my boys now feel legitimate winning a tournament away from their home course,” Molinar said.

The Badgers opened their season at the St. Mary’s Middle School Invitational before winning the Lampasas Invitational at Hancock Park three weeks ago.

In Copperas Cove, Lolato birdied the final hole to finish as the overall winner for the second time in the team’s three tournaments. January followed Lolato on the scorecard with a 40, while Logan Irvin and and Trent Holloman rounded out the team with scores of 41 and 42, respectively. Graham posted a 43, but his round did not count toward the final total.

The LMS Lady Badger golf team goofs off after winning the Copperas Cove Invitational. Pictured, from left, are Kena Cox, Mariah Bishop, Morgan Rogers and Lauren Beckwith. PHOTOS BY CLAY WHITTINGTON According to Molinar, one of the day’s highlights came on the 12th hole when Holloman set up a birdie putt on the par 3 by leaving his drive just inches from the hole.

Since the victory, however, the Badgers have suffered a setback as Lolato moved out of the school district.

“My guys are small, especially now with four of the top five being seventh-graders, but they have huge hearts,” Molinar said.

Not to be outdone, the Lady Badgers refused to allow the boys’ team to hog the spotlight at Copperas Cove.

Morgan Rogers and Mariah Bishop each shot personal bests at the tournament and the Lady Badgers won with a team total of 204.

With tying scores of 47, Rogers edged out teammate Lauren Beckwith for second place overall thanks to a playoff. Bishop’s 49 and Kena Cox’s 61 rounded out the team’s best outing.

“All the girls played almost the whole tournament in the rain,” Lady Badgers’ head coach Amanda Forsythe said. “I couldn’t ask for a better group of young ladies.”

Both teams return to the links Tuesday at Woodcreek Country Club in Wimberly for the Dripping Springs tournament before taking part in the Hudson Bend tournament at Live Oak Golf Course May 10.

The district tournament is scheduled for May 17 at Marble Falls.